Collective research on Water in the Circular Economy

The collective research programme Water in the Circular Economy (WiCE) involves the joint research of the water companies and of stakeholders in and associated with the watercycle, with the objective of contributing to the societal challenges regarding the circular economy, climate adaptation and the sustainable energy transition.

What is WiCE?

The WiCE research programme is directed at closing water loops and at recovering resources and energy from water. Water companies and stakeholders in and associated with the watercycle conduct joint research to contribute to realising the 2020 climate targets, the Circular Economy in the Netherlands by 2050 Programme, and the energy transition. The research is harmonised with, and responds to, local and regional loop-closing initiatives.

Research themes

WiCE provides a platform for the conduct of joint research on ‘water in the circular economy’. The following research themes have been defined:

Value in the Watercycle: targets the governance aspects of the circular economy, such as the value of water, the scale level and the transition over time.

Quality in the Watercycle: targets water quality in the entire watercycle.

Resource Efficiency: targets the recovery of resources and energy from water streams.

Water and Energy: targets the development and implementation of water-related technologies that contribute to the energy transition – for example, the storage and recovery of heat in and from the subsurface.